2002-07-25 -

Light Pollution, Skunks, and Urban Combat

Ann Arbor has a bad light pollution problem. I was especially concsious of this last night, when I was out for a late walk and noticed the moonlight just gleaming off of a jetliner's contrail. It would have looked amazing if the damn streetlights hadn't been washing out the sky.

Hence, my normal policy that taking back the night is a goal better accomplished by heavily arming the potential victims than with lights.

Tonight, though, I almost had a change of heart. Twice in my walk I almost stumbled over a skunk in the dark. Twice. Given than the skunks appear not to have the sense to stay off the sidewalk, a little light suddenly makes sense to me.

No, it's not hypocrisy. If it were only legal, I'd be happy to walk in the dark, pack heat, and shoot the skunks from across the street when I saw them. In fact, the entire idea sounds good to me. Alas, shooting guns is illegal in Ann Arbor. You can shoot a violent attacker anyway, and get off under the "least harm" defense, but I think the jury would tell me I could have just as easily not shot the squirrel.

Damn liberals.

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